Trump: Without Peace Deal, Iran Could Be Bombed for Up to Two Years

Washington - US President Donald Trump has said a peace deal with Iran prevents the country from facing continued US attacks for up to two years. “If we don’t make this deal, we could be dropping bombs for two weeks, three weeks, four weeks, even up to two years,” Trump said during a press conference on Wednesday (17/6). He stated that without the agreement, the Strait of Hormuz would not reopen. He also claimed markets would have plunged to unprecedented levels rather than strengthening as they have. “The wise guys don’t realise this wasn’t a deal put together in three months. It took years. You know why? Because I killed Soleimani,” Trump said. Qasem Soleimani was the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who was killed in a US strike. Trump added that without a peace deal, Iran risked economic disaster and he did not want that to happen. On 14 June, Iran and the US confirmed that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for peace had been completed. The document is scheduled to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday (19/6). The MoU provides a 60-day window for both countries to negotiate a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme and the lifting of US sanctions. On Wednesday, Trump also said he might remain in Europe to attend the signing of the MoU.